Where will these birds go after CIDCO builds golf course here?

This image by Nayan Khanolkar taken at Talawe in Navi Mumbai shot during the lockdown has been awarded the title ‘highly commended’ in the Urban Category at the 57th edition of Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition

While environmentalists have been raising concern about the vanishing wetlands in Navi Mumbai and adjoining areas, an image of a congregation of flamingos with the city in the background clicked by ace wildlife photographer Nayan Khanolkar at Talawe has been awarded the title ‘highly commended' in the Urban Category at the 57th edition of Wildlife Photographer of the Year, an annual international wildlife photography competition by the Natural History Museum in London.

Talawe wetland in Navi Mumbai is a small pocket of wilderness, surrounded by high-rises on one side and mangroves on the other. This wetland attracts flamingos during the non-breeding season and is a flamboyant sight when the birds arrive. The flamingos utilise this wetland during high tide when the mangroves are full and feed on algae. This year with minimum human disturbance thanks to the pandemic, the bird numbers were the highest.

Environmentalists who have been fighting to save the wetlands and mangroves in Navi Mumbai and MMR have been alleging that CIDCO, who owns this land, is planning to develop a golf course at the site, which will displace these birds. Khanolkar said, "This picture was taken using a drone camera. It shows the juxtaposition of two contrasting worlds. Unfortunately, there's a specific reservation on this plot and it threatens the survival of this wetland."